Survivors
by obird
Summary: Kolyat is one of a group of survivors living on Dead Earth. Asked to record a journal of their life by a team mate, he reluctantly documents their life in the good ol' USA  or what is left of it, anyway!  Reviews welcome. M for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome! This is the first chapter of my story (no kidding, Einstein!) It's kind of a branch off of Metro 2033 and is my own take on what life would be like in the USA for survivors. If you're interested in being a Beta reader, please let me know. Any help is welcome! Constructive criticism is also welcome!

I only do this as a hobby with my mediocre writing skills, so help from better writers is nice. ;)

My name is Kolyat. Please don't ask about the name, because I won't tell you, no matter how much you beg and plead. Let's just say it was a gift from an over-the-top grandmother who loved unusual names. With a name like Irica, it's not hard to see why.

Debra has asked to me to record what we see and hear while trying to survive in this land. This is because Debra herself has very poor writing skills (or so she tells me) and apparently my handwriting is neat. I really think it is because Debra is too busy leading the group to bother writing about every little thing we do but whatever.

I am 23 years old and have been living on Dead Earth since the day I was born. There are still more human settlements here than in space but that's only because the rich were able to escape and the rest of us couldn't afford it.

The government does not care about us. It has left us here to rot. Us and the mutants that stalk this planet.

Let me explain a little more.

As everyone expected, the earth was ravaged during a nuclear war, only this time it was America versus the rest of the world. See, America had grown to become a 'super-nation' and was muscling in on other countries turf. This didn't go down so well, so everybody declared war on the good old You-Ess of Ay.

Unfortunantly for the rest of the world, America wasn't called a 'super-nation' for nothing. They won and pushed the rest of the world to the brink.

So the earth was mostly ruined, humanity done for and the rich decided to blast off into space to avoid the fighting. I have heard that things are just as bad up there but I don't believe.

Living on Dead Earth is truly like living in Hell.

_Kolyat _


	2. Chapter 2

Seeing as Debra continues to nag me about this journal, I shall tell you a little more about our 'lifestyle.'

We live on the surface of Dead Earth. I know what you're thinking. Who would be stupid enough to do that? Why not move underground, like the other survivors in stories?

We cannot because there is nowhere underground to go. There are not enough tunnels and subways to contain every single survivor. Occasionally we may head underground but not often.

The surface of the earth is covered in noxious gases, so we all must wear heavy duty gas masks that need their filters changed every so often. These filters can be traded for at merchant stands in small areas of civilization.

Everywhere is dangerous. If your gas mask does not break and you suffocate, then the monsters like the Nosalis get you.

The fucking Nosalis. Don't get me started on them.

Big mutant rat creatures that look similar to mutant werewolves. They hunt and attack in packs, often surprising people by lunging out of dark areas. There a couple of different types, the most common being the, well, the Common Nosalis.

I am part of a small group of travellers. There is Debra, Sammy, Yuri and Kurtis.

Debra is the unofficial leader of the group, being the oldest at 39 and one hard ass woman. She's not one to mess with and keeps everyone in the group in line.

Sammy is the baby of the group at 17. Debra and I found her one day after a pack of Nosalis had wiped out her family. The only reason he wasn't caught was because she managed to hide himself from them. She got lucky that time.

Kurtis is my cousin and we grew up together. He's a good man and already has a kid and woman back at the base camp. He's loyal to the point of insanity.

Yuri is new to the group and I'm not sure what to think of him. The others think he is okay but something seems 'off' about him. He's a sneaky, rat-like little character and I think I'll have to keep an eye on him.

That's enough about my 'family' and life – if you could call it that – for now though. I grow tired of scribbling in this damn book. I'll undoubtedly be back later.

_Kolyat_


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, chapter three! I'm still in the process of introducing the world and the characters, so be patient with me. The story will pick up soon.**

At the moment, we are nesting in an old train station. A pack of Nosalis were roaming around the area and we are running low on ammunition and med packs.

We had been going to stop at Beaumont Hall, which is a small traders settlement, when we encountered a group of our fellow survivors. They were shaken and when asked why, replied that Beaumont had been attacked by a large mob of men dressed in uniforms. The place was ransacked and those that didn't manage to escape were killed by the bandits.

We decided to travel around Beaumont instead, rather than try to take on a small army.

I shall tell you a little more about myself now, seeing as I don't know much about my companions.

I am 5'9 and lean, but not skinny. To clarify, I have a little bit of 'covering' but not enough to be considered obese or even chubby. My skin is pale (as is most Caucasians who live on Dead Earth) and I have a few freckles on my nose. My hair is shaggy - as hairdressers or someone who knows their way around a pair of scissors are rare here - and is a dirty blonde colour.

In other words, I'm not anything exciting or unusual. Just your average survivor trying to stay alive on the shithole that is Dead Earth.

_There is a low crackling sound and the writer stops, looking up in the direction of the sound. Around him, the others all tense and reach for their weapons. From the shadows comes the sound again, this time moving closer. The writer drops the journal and his worn, chewed pen and stands up, reaching for the battered rifle beside him._

_The sound of tiny footsteps grows louder and from out of the darkness walks a small child, only around five years of age. The child's face is dirty and tearstained, and he stands there and looks at the crowd of astonished travellers. _

_How on earth did a child survive being alone? The thought is bounced around between them, the question on all of their faces. And then comes the more important question…_

_What do we do now?_


	4. Chapter 4

_A few hours have passed and the survivors are still at their camp, discussing their predicament._

_Finding a child is fantastic but at the same time, dangerous. A child is helpless and no use if danger crops up, especially when part of the team is spending more time protecting the child than maintaining a formation._

_Kolyat is sitting as part of a ring, the object of their concerns in the centre of the ring sleeping. The journal is open on Kolyat's lap but nothing has been written on the blank page yet. He is obviously deep in thought, the words of the others washing over him like a wave of white noise. _

_His arm twitches and he comes back to reality, blinking once, twice, three times. _

_He smiles, a slow, lazy stretching of his mouth and says, "I have an idea."_

Earlier in our meeting I suggested we find the child's family, or relatives. The others didn't say much, just gawked at me.

Yuri gave a bark of laughter and shook his head, muttering to himself about impossible odds and idiotic kids. I have found that I dislike him more intently every time he opens his mouth.

I don't have a problem with pessimists, or cynical people. I do have a problem with assholes who find something to whinge about in every little thing somebody says. We have to be a team and so far, he isn't fulfilling his part.

He can't even shoot for shit! I'm sure he didn't hit a single creature the last time we crossed paths with a Librarian in the old book library.

Not only that but I'm deadly certain he is plotting something. He keeps disappearing off on his own for hours when we stop to rest and returns looking smugger than ever. I am starting to fear for the safety of the group.

Time to speak to Debra, I believe.

_Kolyat_


End file.
